John Sowden House Hits The Market

Sowden House - 5121 Franklin Avenue - $4,888,000

An awe-inspiring, magical, Mayan style masterpiece. Built in 1926 and designed by Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright’s son), Wright uses the same textile block system his father used in the Millard House. The result is an iconic Mayan style masterpiece measuring 5,600 square feet on a secluded 14,000+ lot.

Extensive restorations from 2002-09 by Xorin Balbes, the home now accommodates modern living while preserving the Architects master work.

Despite the hiss of criticism he received from architectural purist Balbes’ restorative remodel successfully created a modern day sanctuary.  Featured in Architectural Digest, the renovation ushered in a new era of activity as the Sowden House has become a favored location for celebrity fundraisers, movie shoots, TV shows, commercials, and corporate getaways.  It is also often know as the "black dalia" murder home.

The Sherwood House Becomes a Historic Monument

Los Feliz Has More History per Square Mile Then a Ken Burns Film

The L.A. Historic-Cultural Commission has set aside the Sherwood House in Los Feliz as designated historic monument. The house is located at 3435 Amesbury Road.

This is a classic Tudor style home that was designed in 1929 by Charles M. Hutchison. It was originally part of the F.P. Fay Company's “Los Feliz Hills” planned subdivision.

The first owner's name was Lucile Sherwood. Even though she only lived there for a few years, the name stuck. It was then the home of James J. Cline, in 1930, who was a UC Berkeley running back during the 1923 and '24 seasons. Although Cline was a star of the team, the team had an atrocious record during his time with the team. The only posted 2 wins in two years. Cline was the founder of Cline Lumber, an LA staple for generations of home builders.

Then the home passed to Tobias Kotzin, who was a clothing manufacturer in Los Angeles. He lived in the home from 1944 to 1976. His wife, Bessie, stayed there until her death in 1989.

The current owners have lived there since that time.

The length of stay of the owners, particularly the Kotzins and the current owners speaks to the comfort of the home, encased in the stunningly executed Tudor style drawn by Mr. Hutchison. The home was a part of the Revivalist Movement that was in vogue during the '20s through the '40s.

Mr. Charles Fisher, a local historian, represented the current owners in their bid to get the home listed as a Historic Monument. This status will afford the home certain protections to help preserve the heritage of Los Feliz.

You can, of course, drive by the home, but bear in mind that it is occupied. I love this home because is an extraordinary example of a classic style that has passed out of fashion in the US. Too bad, because I, personally, miss the time when every house on the street had a different look and personality.

Check it out. I would love to hear your impressions.

Making Money in Los Feliz: Short-term Rental as an Income Generator

Little Dom's - one of the many reasons that Los Feliz makes is a good place for a vacation rental

Los Feliz is awesome. It's safe, beautiful and close to downtown LA.

Did you know that you can make some extra money from your Los Feliz home while you're out-of-town?  It's called short-term rental. You rent your home to vacationers coming to Los Feliz and Los Angeles.

They pay you handsomely. You get to take a vacation of your own.Short-term rentals in Los Feliz can range from about $1,000 for a week to over tens of thousands for a month.

That's a lot of money to simply let someone stay in your house for a little while.

The best way to arrange this is to use a website that provides you with a reliable system for renting.There should be a rental agreement that provides for damages, etc. Also, you should, as with any other rental, know to whom you are renting or get some form of deposit.

There are lots of great websites that will allow you interact with potential renters.It's not legal everywhere – Although not a problem in Los Feliz, there are places where this isn't legal.  Before you rent, you should check local ordinances to make sure.

There are no guarantees, maybe – Some rental sites, like AirBnB, have begun to include “host guarantees.” At AirBnB, it's $1,000,000! It still won’t replace your home owner's insurance, but it's worth knowing.

Check with the neighbors -If you're out-of-town and your renters end up hosting a kegger, it's your neighbors who will be bothered by it. You might find one who will call you, if there is a problem. You should definitely make sure they all know and have information to get a hold of you.

Tell your insurance agent – Whether your in good hands or have a piece of the rock, your agent is going to need to know what you're doing. If something goes wrong and they don't know, you might end up footing some expensive repair bills all by yourself.

Relax and Have Fun – Once you have made all the right and smart decisions, relax.

There have been millions of short-term rentals and a very small handful of problems. Short-term renting has become a great way for folks to make a bit of extra income from their homes and it provides visitors from your area to be part of the community, rather than staying in some sterile hotel. This is especially important when they are traveling with large families.